As educators face the challenge of preparing students for college and the workforce, using evidence-based practices in the classroom matters more than ever. SEDL’s president and CEO Wesley Hoover and Michele McLaughlin of the Knowledge Alliance have written an op-ed piece published in Education Week calling on Congress to reauthorize the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA). ESRA turns hard evidence into good practice by authorizing research for education leaders to use in assessing policy and practice.

The latest issue of KT Update is available. It includes information about online trainings. The newsletter also includes an update on a survey of National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research grantees on knowledge translation issues.

The Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Southwest hosted a Bridge Event webinar, The Data-Informed District: Research on How Educators Use Data to Inform Practice, on December 5. The webinar examined research that describes the barriers and facilitators for using K–12 data to improve education decision making and practice. The webinar archive, including the transcript, recording, and materials, is available on the REL Southwest website.

“Managing the Implementation of School Improvement Efforts,” by research associate Jason LaTurner and program associate Dale Lewis, was published in the December 2013 issue of SouthEast Education Network magazine. The article outlines steps education leaders must take to help school improvement initiatives succeed.

Advance Healthcare Network for Speech and Hearing discusses SEDL’s Vocational Rehabilitation Service Models for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders Project. Through the project, SEDL identified programs that were effective in helping people with autism spectrum disorders find and keep jobs. The article “Autism Adult Vocational Services Recognized” discusses Productive Opportunities for Work & Recreation, one of the 10 programs identified as effective during the project.

Congratulations to SEDL’s communications team for winning two MarCom awards: the MarCom Gold Award for SEDL's 2012 Annual Report, Open the Possibilities, and a MarCom Platinum Award for its 2012 Communications Plan.

SEDL has openings for education researchers in our Research and Evaluation department. We also have openings for field consultants and field consultant interviewers. These are temporary positions, also with our Research and Evaluation department. For more information and to apply for these jobs, visit the careers section of our website.

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